Croatia, a picturesque country with a vibrant telecommunications sector, has a competitive mobile market that has evolved significantly over the years. With increasing mobile penetration, enhanced network infrastructure, and a growing demand for data services, the mobile landscape in Croatia is an interesting one to explore. Having written about the imminent launch of 5G in 2020, we were hoping for a lot more progress with 5G rollout so far.
Croatia's telecom market is largely controlled by the incumbent operator Hrvatski Telekom, along with the local branches of United Group and Telekom Austria. However, competition remains strong, supported by several smaller operators. The regulator has played a key role in fostering this competitive environment by implementing measures to facilitate network access and promoting regional licensing. Notably, two recent 5G licenses were allocated specifically for regional rather than national operators.
The mobile market consists of three major network operators (MNOs). These providers have been focused on increasing average revenue per user (ARPU) by encouraging prepaid customers to switch to postpaid plans and boosting revenue from mobile data services. While 5G is now widely available, the full impact of the technology will become apparent after 2021, following the distribution of licenses across various frequency bands. This spectrum, previously reserved for GSM, 3G, and LTE services, will play a key role in the government’s national broadband plan extending to 2027, which aligns with the European Commission’s goals to achieve gigabit connectivity by the end of 2025.
2G on Hrvatski Telekom and A1 is on 900 MHz and Telemach on 1800 MHz, 3G is on 900 MHz and 2100 MHz with all three providers. 4G/LTE is available on bands 1, 3, 7 and 20 (800, 1800, 2100 and 2700 MHz) with carrier aggregation available on all three providers. In 2021 all three operators are rolling out 5G. Hrvatski Telekom and A1 have started on n28 (700 MHz) and n78 (3500 MHz), and are now open for all Hrvatski Telekom prepaid packages and the unlimited A1 prepaid package, but not yet on Telemach and MVNOs.
Hrvatski Telekom (HT) is the largest mobile operator in Croatia, controlling a significant portion of the market. As part of the Deutsche Telekom Group, HT benefits from the vast expertise and resources of one of Europe’s largest telecom companies. HT has consistently led the market in terms of both subscribers and network quality.
Recently Rijeka Gateway has announced a 5G standalone (SA) connectivity partnership with Hrvatski Telekom (HT), marking the implementation of an advanced private 5G campus network.
Rijeka Gateway, which operates facilities at Croatia's largest port in Rijeka, is a joint venture between APM Terminals and ENNA Group. This development is entirely new, without any legacy LTE network infrastructure, which the company highlights as a key advantage, making it the first HT installation to use SA architecture.
Set to commence operations in 2025, Rijeka Gateway will utilize HT's public mobile network to support its primarily remotely operated electric equipment. The terminal emphasizes that its use of electric container handling equipment will significantly minimize environmental impact, reducing noise and pollution for the surrounding community.
The Croatian operator Hrvatski Telekom has already started shutting down their 3G network. Complete switch-off by end of Jan 2025https://t.co/I02prt7vL6https://t.co/nPdwOF8eOm
— Zahid Ghadialy (@zahidtg) October 6, 2024
2G will continue to work as normal#2G #3G #3G4G5G #2G3Gshutdown pic.twitter.com/R7R2nkAbJe
HT has already started shutting down their 3G network and plan to have their 3G completely switched-off by end of Jan. 2025. Their 2G network will still be around for a while.
Telemach is the third provider in Croatia. It was called Tele2 before it was sold to a local cable operator. They started 4G/LTE in 2016 already covering 90% and opened it to all prepaid plans. In cities coverage is similar to HT and A1. In rural areas (highways outside cities and unpopulated areas) Telemach roams on Hrvatski Telekom without surcharges. After its acquisition by United Group in 2020, Telemach has been expanding its services and network to compete more aggressively with HT and A1.
The Croatian government and telecom operators have been working together to modernize the country’s mobile infrastructure, especially with the 5G rollout. Both HT and A1 have launched 5G networks, covering major cities such as Zagreb, Split, and Rijeka. Telemach has been somewhat slower in rolling out 5G but is catching up through significant infrastructure investments.
Related Posts:
- Operator Watch Blog: Croatia is Switching-On 5G
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